Building construction



Feb. 23, 1931 B. LANE f 2,071,349

` BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed'June', 1956 Uff/ey 5. La/7e l NVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 23, 1937 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

i This invention relates in general to building construction and more particularly to a novel supporting and spacing means between the inner .and outer wall structures of a building.

Heretofore the efforts to provide wall structures that will eliminate or resist the transmission of moisture, heat, sound and other vibrations through the walls have resulted in complex, expensive, and unwieldy constructionnot susceptible of re-use or interchanging.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a spacing, supporting and strengthening element for walls or other building structures that will comprise easily formed, easily removable interchangeable units necessitating the 20 minimum of material and yet have 4the required strength for use in connection with wall or other structures or for use as a building structure itself.

Another object is to provide such a spacing and supporting element that when interposed 25 between two wall structures will have the minimum surface contact therewith necessary for support so as to' lengthen the solid path of travel from one wall to. the other in order to minimize and resist the transfer of moisture, heat, sound 30 or other vibrations.

To these and other ends a-simple removable form or the like may be used for casting an inner wall member having-an elongated body portion with spaced staggered integral ribsvex-A 35 tending alternately from the opposite sides of the body portion. The inner wall members also may be precast or formed with their ends havingv complementary tongue and groove or like expedients for removable assembly and inter- 40 changeability. vThe solid path for transfer of moisture or sound from one face of the wall to that of the other consists solely of the body portion and ribs of the inner wa1l. Due to the .staggering and spacingl of the ribs, this solid 45 path is effectively greatly lengthened as compared to the actual distance between the faces of the wall. The longer the path is the greater the resistance to transfer of moisture and sound is from one face of the wall to the other.

With the foregoing-and other objects in view, the invention resides in the combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter set forth in the following specification and appended claims, certain embodimentsbeing illustrated in 55 the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section through the vmould showing the frame and moulded inner wall member cast therein.

Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal section through several inner wall members showing one form of coupling means.

.Figure 3 is a similar View showing another form of coupling means.

Figure 4 is a' view similar to Fig, 3 showing another form of coupling means.

Figure 5 is an isometric view in section and in detail of a wall corner with the inner wallinstalled.

Figure 6 is a View in longitudinal section through a ,wall structure including an outer stucco nish and an inner lath and plaster finish with the inner wall therebetween.

Referring more particularly t the drawing, Figure 1 shows one type of casting form with two side members I andi held spaced apart by tie rods 3. The casting form may, as shown, include Istaggered sets `of spaced boards 4 and 5 engaged by staggered sets of spaced wooden blocks 6 and 1, the latter being recessed at 8 to receive the boards. 'I'he blocks are also recessed at 9 to receive wooden strips I0 and II.

Into the trough thus provided are arranged longitudinal reinforcing members I2 and transverse reinforcing members I3. The concrete may then be poured into the trough and cast into the shape determined by the inner dimensions of the trough 1 or form.

As shown in Figure 1 the resulting shape of the inner wall member thus cast is a relatively thin elongated body portion I4 with a set of narrow spacedribs I5 on one side and a set of narrow spaced ribs I6 on the other side in staggered relation to the ribs I5, so that ribs I5 are spaced longitudinally from eachv other and from the longitudinally spaced ribsy II.` i

Referring now tojigures 2, 3 and 4, for sake of simplicity and' ease in using the inner wall construction, the inner wall may be cast before erection into units .which are relatively shortlongitudinally with their adjoining ends cast withl tongue` and groove or other locking expedients, such expedients being shown at I1 in Figure 2, I8 in Figure 3'- and I9 in Figure 4. It is practical to mould these units Aso that they extend a full story height. Thus, the only joints between floors would be vertical and would be separated from the outer and inner wall facings by air spaces so as to prevent moisture penetration.

Referring now to Figure 6, which represents a wall construction, the outer wall 20 may be stucco and theinner facing 2| of plaster, covering laths which are not shown. As shown, the inner wall body portion i4 is spaced from the stucco on the outer side and the plaster on the inner side re# spectively by spaces 22 and 23 each of which is preferably at least as wide as the body portion i4, while the plaster rests on the vertical ribs I6 and the stucco on the vertical ribs I5. The seeping of moisture in from the stucco nish in ioforder to reach the plaster must occur along the solid path provided for between the walls. In the present illustrated construction the most direct solid path from one wall to the other is doubled in length over the actual distance between the stucco and the plaster. It is contemplated that in actual construction this path may be lengthened to an even greater proportional extent and still retain the requisite strength and rigidity of wall construction. 'Ihe greater the length of the solid path the greater opportunity is afforded for preventing the conduction of moisture and dissipation thereof before it reaches the plaster. The same is true of dissipation of heat, noises and other vibrations to which either of the two faces of the walls may be subjected.

As to Figure 6, the spaces'22 and 23 may be mere air spaces and found to suffice, or they may be filled with some suitable sound absorbing or heat insulating material represented at 24. Also the stucco may rest directly on ribs I5 and the plaster on the ribs I6. These ribs I6 may be so spaced as to form a continuation of ribs on a floor slab when the device is used in floor construction. In order to further safeguard against seepage of moisture, either or both of the sets of ribs may have ailixed to their faces a moisture repellant substance 25. Also, as a further refinement, either or both of the sets of ribs may have ailixed to the faces thereof or anchored thereto a suitable wooden nailing strip 2G.

Figure 5 shows a corner section of a wall structure in which the inner facing comprises plaster 2| over laths 21 and the outer wall 28 of brick or the like. The showing in Figure 5 includes an inner wall construction integrally cast but it is to be understood that it may be either inthis form or made up of separable units as discussed in connection with Figures 2, 3 and 4.

Thus, it will be seen from the foregoing that there has been provided a simple inexpensive inner wall of durable'construction using the minimum material and bythe use of which the transmission of moisture and vibration from one wall to the other is minimized by providing a long solid path of travel and with the minimum necessity for additional moisture proof or sound proof material because of the very limited area of contact of the inner wall with the two walls it supports.

I claim:

l. For use in a building construction as a spacing and supporting means for two wall structures. an elongated inner wall comprising a body portion with relatively narrow ribs extending in staggered relationship from opposite sides thereof .and appreciably longitudinally spaced from each other so that when said inner wall is placed between said wall structures said ribs are substantially in abutment with the adjacent of said wall structures, leaving an appreciable space between the greater majority of the length of the inner wall and both of said wall structures and rendering the solid path of conduction between said wall structures appreciably greater than the actual distance therebetween.

2.- For use in a building construction as a spacing and supporting means between two wall structures, an elongated inner wall comprising a body portion with relatively narrow ribs extending in staggered relationship from opposite sides thereof and appreciably longitudinally spaced from each other so that when said inner wall is placed between said wall structures said ribs are substantially in abutment with the adjacent of said wall structures, leaving an appreciable space between the greater majority'of the length of the inner wall and both of said wall structures and rendering the solid path of conduction between said wall structures appreciably greater than the actual distance therebetween, said inner wall comprising a plurality of separate units provided with locking elements whereby they may be joined together longitudinally in assembled position.

3. As an element of building construction, an elongated structural supporting member comprising a load sustaining body portion having ribs extending transversely from the opposite sides thereof and substantially the height thereof, said ribs being staggered and longitudinally spaced from each other, said supporting member including a plurality of units with coupling means whereby they may be joined together longitudinally in assembled position the joints thus formed being longitudinally'spaced with respect to all of said ribs.

4. For use in a building construction as a spacing and supporting means for two wall structures, an elongated inner wall comprising a body portion with relatively narrow ribs extending in staggered relationship from opposite sides thereof and appreciably longitudinally spaced from each other so that when said inner wall is placed between said wall structures said ribs are substantially in abutment with the adjacent of said wall structures, leaving an appreciable space between the greater majority of the length of the inner wall and both of said wall structures and rendering the solid path of conduction between said wall structures appreciably greater than the actual distance therebetween, said body portion having a reinforcing member extending substantially longitudinally thereof and said ribs each having separate reinforcing members extending substantially longitudinally thereof and in a plane substantially at right angles to the reinforcing members of said body portion.

5. For use in a building construction as a spacing andsupporting means between two wall structures, an elongated inner wall comprising a body portion with relatively narrow ribs extending in staggered relationship from opposite sides thereof and appreciably longitudinally spaced from each other so that when said inner wall is placed between said wall structures said ribs are substantially in abutment with the adjacent of said wall structures, leaving an appreciable space between the greater majority of the length of the inner wall and both of said wall structures and rendering the solid path of conduction between said wall structures appreciably greater than the actual distance therebetween, said inner wall comprising a plurality of separate units provided with locking elements whereby they may be joined together longitudinally in assembled position, said body portion having a reinforcing member extending substantially longitudinally thereof and said ribs each having separate reinforcing members extending substantially longitudinally thereof and in a plane substantially at right angles to the reinforcing members of said body portion.

6. For use in a building construction as a spacing and supporting meansbetween two wall structures, an elongated inner wall comprising a body portion with relatively narrow ribs extending in staggered relationship from opposite sides thereof and appreciably longitudinally spaced from each other so that when said inner wall is placed between said wall structures said ribs are substantially in abutment with the adjacent of said wail structures, leaving an vappreciable lspace between lthe greater majority of the length of the inner wall and both of said wall structures and rendering the solid path of conduction between said wall structures appreciably greater than the actual distancetherebetween, said inner wall comprising a plurality offseparate units provided with locking y elements whereby they may be joined together longitudinally in assembled position, the joints thus formed being out of contact with and appreciably spaced from each of said wall structures.

'7. For use in a building construction as a spacing and supporting means for two wall structures, an elongated inner wall comprising a'body portion with relatively narrow ribs extending in staggered relationship from. opposite sides thereof and appreciably longitudinally spaced from each other so that. when said inner wall isplaced between said wall structures said ribs are substantially in abutment with the adjacent of said wall structures, leaving an appreciable lspace between the greater majority of the length of the inner wail and both of said wall structures and renderins the solid path of conduction between said wall structures appreciably greater than the actual distance therebetween, and heat insulating material substantially iilllng the space between said inner wall and said wall structures.

8. For use in a building construction as a spacing and supporting means for two wall structures, an elongated inner wall comprising a body por- 40 tion with relatively narrow ribs extending in staggered relationship from opposite sides thereof and appreciably longitudinally spaced from each other so that when said inner wall is placed between said wall structures said ribs are substantially in abutment with the adjacent of said `wall structures, leaving an appreciable space between the greater majority of the length of the inner wall and both of said wall structures and rendering the solid path of conduction between said wail structures appreciably greater than the actual distance therebetween, at least one of said ribs having ailixed thereto at its outer extremity a strip of material that isinherently impervious'to moisture.

9. As an element of building construction, an elongated structural supporting member, comprising a load sustaining body portion having ribs extending transversely from the opposite sides thereof, and substantially the height of the body portion, said ribs being staggered and longitudinally spaced from each other, said supporting member including a plurality of units with coupling means whereby they may be joined together longitudinally in assembled position, the joints thus formed being longitudinally spaced with respectto said ribs and transversely spaced from each of the structures it supports.

l0. As an element of building construction, an elongated structural supporting member comprising a load sustaining body portion having a plurality of ribs extending transversely from each of two opposite sides thereof and substantially the height of the body portion, said ribs being staggered and longitudinally spaced from each other, said body portion having a reinforcing member extending continuously substantially throughout the length thereof and each of said ribs having a separate reinforcing member extending substantially throughout its length.

. ORLEY B. LANE. 

